"A riot? What does that even mean?" Erica sat in a thinking pose next to Godou. They were in a car, just left the HCC headquarter and on their way back to Godou's house.
"Is that something unusual?" Godou the oblivious one asked and made a tick appear on Erica's brow. "S-Sorry. I asked something stupid." Godou quickly apologized and shut his mouth for his own good.
Yuri on Godou's left stayed silent from the moment they sat in the car. She is also pondering over the meaning of the message Susanoo passed to them through Ena Seishuuin.
Erica felt her head ache again and opened the window trying to get fresh air and suddenly saw something that made her eyes widen and hands immediately slither over to the diver's collar and pulled frantically.
"Stop! Stop the car!" Erica ordered before the car braked immediately and caused everyone to be thrown to the front. Erica immediately pushes the door open and chases after someone.
———
Half an hour ago.
"So… is there any place you want to go first?" Leo turned to Liliana because he didn't know where to go or where Liliana would be interested to visit.
"M-Me?" Liliana suddenly jumped like a cat that had its tail stepped on. She frantically wrecks her brain to think of a place to start up their d-date. Then she heard her stomach growling. "U-Uh… H-How about a cafe? Right! A cafe. We hadn't had breakfast yet, right?"
"Sure." Leo nods and leads her to a cafe that he constantly heard his co-workers and students praise.
They had a light breakfast in the cafe before Leo suggested visiting the theme park or an aquarium exhibit. In his mind, the thought of this beginning date never crossed his mind. These locations are the result of him making a quick search in the internet for places girls around Liliana's age would be interested in when he went into his room to change clothes.
Of course, the internet isn't wrong. Those places are indeed what teenage girls would be interested in. However, for Liliana. The moment she heard the suggestions, she immediately confirmed or at least was very sure Leo was taking her out on a date. In actuality, this situation is more like a dad trying to bribe her daughter to stop being angry at him by bringing her to Disneyland' kind of situation.
But, on their way there. A certain black sedan car passed by the sidewalk they were walking on and Liliana saw a familiar face. Leo also did.
The car came to a screeching halt and Leo can't exactly just use Quickening and run because the sudden brake of the car attracted quite a lot of attention. He can't use magic to distract the people too because it's daytime and his authority is sealed.
So, basically. It's checkmate.
"Liliana!" Erica growled with much frustration and anger behind her voice.
The two people Erica was looking at is the source of her splitting headache and numerous restless nights. Imagine her surprise when she confirmed hey we're indeed been hiding under her nose all this time.
'Shit! Why now of all time!' Leo said in his mind while he is frantically trying to find a way to escape this situation.
Liliana turned to look at Leo asking for advice on how to proceed now they had been found out by the other Campione.
Godou and Yuri also exit the car and see the two. Confrontation is no longer avoidable at this point.
He then remembered his near cheat-like ability that he had been ignoring all this while until recently. Without thinking much, he activated it and saw almost all his Luck stat vanished. But nothing happened.
Erica calmed down a little after her clarity returned and remembered she was in the presence of another Campione. But she still looks resentful at Liliana who stayed silent all this time when she is worried about her wellbeing.
Leo without his disguise ring naturally looks imposing with the dangerous aura hanging around him. For Liliana that knew the real Leo, she wouldn't be affected. But for the others, they feel intimidated just by being gazed on.
"Let's find a proper place to talk." Leo suggested while pointing at the crowd gathered around them and a policeman interrogating Amakasu.
They agreed and they went to a nearby cafe that didn't have many customers and had decent privacy for them to discuss.
As they seated themselves, Leo was still thinking what had triggered since his ability deducted his Luck stat which meant it had caused something to happen. He was wishing for something to stop this confrontation. But from the look of it, it didn't work.
'Hey, System. Is it possible my ability has malfunctioned?' Leo turns to his System for help.
[I don't know. It's an ability tied strongly to your soul. A real Innate Ability that I couldn't even access.]
Meeting dead end with his question, Leo put it aside as he saw the other party noticed he wasn't paying attention.
"Sorry, what was it?" Leo asked which made Erica instantly gnash and grind her teeth in anger but she didn't dare to voice it out.
Liliana turned and approached Leo's ear and whispered, "She was asking for your intention of staying in the Seventh Campione's territory."
Leo immediately frowned and thought, 'Why his territory? So what? I never said I recognised it.' But as much as he wants to say his thoughts out loud, he knows that answer will only provoke hostility.
"*Cough* I wonder why is that a problem? I had been staying here from the beginning and you suddenly want to chase me away simply because he lay claim on Japan as his territory?" Leo said with a slight harsh tone to show his irritation with Erica's question.
"Wait, you are Japanese?" Godou looked shocked as he stared at Leo's head and eyes and his height.
"No, I am not. But I had been staying here from the start." Leo said which is technically true since the moment he was revived, he had been staying in Japan.
Yuri Mariya is also surprised how HCC never noticed Leo if he had been in Japan all this time. It's very concerning how he evaded their radar for a very long time.
"But that is the rule." Erica replied once she finished making a reply in her head. "A Campione will lay claim on a territory and other Campione cannot interfere with permission."
"No, actually. I don't think it's alright to kick him out like that, Erica." Godou interrupted and took over the conversation. "I didn't even care about the rules. If he wants to stay. Then he can stay and my decision is final."
Erica of course didn't agree with Godou's decision but she also cannot talk back against it because she is just a Knight and Godou is her King. At least in public that is. Yuri also in disagreement but she understand her position and support Godou's decision.
"I am just a student and all I want is an ordinary life. I don't care about all this Campione crap and I know you are someone just like me." Godou said. He assumed Leo had been hiding himself because he also didn't want to ruin the normalcy of his life. That's why he even hides his identity in battle. He wished he did the same. Then he continued, "So, if you can feel free to do whatever you want." Godou then stood up, ready to leave but he paused for a moment. "However, I have a promise with the 4 ancient family heads to protect the peace of Japan and its people. But I doubt you are a bad person that will cause trouble since you helped defeat Voban and save Yuri that night."
After giving Leo the reminder, Godou brought his group away and left. But just as the three left the cafe, he can already hear Erica giving Godou an earful of nagging about his recklessness.
"Well… that went well. So, are we still going to the theme park?" Leo tried to change the tense atmosphere and asked.
"Sure…" Liliana didn't think she had the mood for it after all this. But she is unwilling to let go of the opportunity to get closer with him. Even though she wouldn't admit it, she is jealous Erica can become Godou's lover.
While Leo is unaware of what is going on in Lilliana's head, his System suddenly has something to say.
[I think your ability doesn't make what you wished happen. Instead, it makes what you deeply desired to happen because I can feel something is affecting Kusanagi Godou when he makes his decision.]
'...'
Leo has no words other than to call his ability a real bonafide cheat.
———
A month of relatively peaceful days passes.
Leo faces no issue from his stay in Japan ever since. He also respect Godou's wish to not cause trouble.
Leo had stopped exploring the Netherworld to hunt God because after his first attempt. Whenever he tries to enter the divine realm, he will be unrelentingly hunted by multiple to dozens gods to keep him away. Even going to another mythology divine realm didn't work. Which hampers his growth a lot.
"These few days have been peaceful. Too peaceful." Leo mutters forebodingly because this is exactly what happened in DxD world just before Hunter appears and Leo fears the riot in Netherworld has something to do with it.
"You God Slayer are too bloodthirsty to even complain when life is too peaceful." Athena remarked disdainfully while sipping on hot chocolate mixed with marshmallows Liliana served.
"*Sigh* Why are you here again, Athena? This is my house and I never said you are welcome here." Leo wants to get angry and threatens her but can't find the strength to do it because of her appearance and also reason.
"Hmph, you should be grateful to this goddess even willing to grace this…" She paused and scanned her eyes on the small and cramped apartment Leo called house. She can't find any words that aren't rude to call it. "...home of yours with her presence."
"I never asked you to come." Leo deadpanned and then to Liliana who is the culprit that opened the door for Athena. Not that a door can really hinder her if she wants to break in.
"Anyway, why did you come here again?" He put on a serious expression before asking… No, he demanded the answer from her.
Athena gives Leo a dirty look. They are allies for god sake. She had tried many things to buy his trust yet he always treated her like this. Like an enemy that was left alive because she is useful. She cannot even comprehend why he is that stubborn to kill her anyway when she had basically degraded to that of a Divine Ancestor. She isn't even causing any trouble.
Even then, she still has to keep herself useful for him to keep herself away from the list of things he will kill. Even if this kind of act is utterly humiliating for someone her stature, she must keep herself alive until she can challenge Godou once more.
"To tip you about a Heretic God that appeared not too long ago." Athena said and informed him all the details she knew. "His aura is familiar. Which is why I can sense him and all I can say is he would be aiming for you."
"How are you that sure?" Leo finds her confidence very odd.
"That's because Clytius is the nemesis of Hecate." Athena said with a smug grin appearing on her face. "And yes, I now learned the name of one of the Heretic Gods you slew."
"Though, I doubt you will have difficulty defeating him since his most notable authority is to negate and devour magic. You aren't really relying on magic to kill. So, you will be fine." Athena added before quickly gulping down the delicious hot chocolate before giving Liliana her gratitude.
"Anything else?" Leo asked while mentally keeping a note of the information.
"Your Knight can provide the remaining information." Athena didn't bother to give full information since Liliana can do that for Leo. So, she shake her head.
"Then, you can leave now." Leo coldly told her and pointed at the door.
Athena wants to rebuke him for his lack of gratitude and appreciation. But then she noticed Leo had progressively become tense the more they talked. Even now, he is gripping the edge of the table strong enough to leave a faint imprint. She has her guesses of what is happening with him.
"Fine, I shall depart for now." Athena meld into darkness and disappeared.
There is a few seconds of silence as Liliana wash the mug and put it at the dishes drying rack before she returns to the living room.
"So, what are your plans for this Heretic God, Milord?" Liliana addressed him professionally since they are in the 'working' mode.
Leo had been planning his moves since Athena informed him the Heretic God is very likely to target him only. Then, the most obvious thing he needed to do would be.
"We will move away from here. To an isolated place preferably." Leo said.
"I will prepare for it immediately." Liliana instantly pulls out her phone to mobilize the resource of Bronze Black Cross that is given to her disposal to serve and aid Leo.
While Liliana is doing her thing, Leo went to pack up some essentials into his inventory.
Clearly the Heretic God had descended but hadn't immediately come looking for him means it was probably still doing some preparation.
Not all Heretic Gods descend at the peak of their power just like Athena. When she descended, she was looking for Gorgoneion. They will search for the lost shard of their power in the form of artifacts or magic relics or calling for allies. He learned all this information from Athena.
—————
If you readers feel generous or want to appreciate my work and effort, feel free to tip me here.
https://ko-fi.com/lazy_kat_aoi